DT - there don't seem to be any like that! I've run over 20 parkruns at about 8 or 9 different venues and they all measure at least 3.15 miles (sometimes 3.20 miles). Either I'm unlucky, my watch is crap or I run significantly off the racing line (which I don't think I do)!

There is, inevitably, some debate on the accuracy of parkrun courses, never mind the discussion on which are the quickest. I've done around 25 different ones and of those Dulwich and Burgess are the quickest London ones, whilst Stretford and South Manchester are the quickest in my area. All four are very accurate: South Manchester has a measurement certificate.

Some say that York is quick, whilst RunBritain ranks Worcester Pitchcroft as the fastest. I await DT's view on that one! Lots of the prom based runs like Brighton are quick, but will obviously be affected by the wind.

You need to go on tour some time in the Spring, AD!

Progress is rarely a straight line. There are always bumps in the road, but you can make the choice to keep looking ahead.

alehouse, the original pitchctoft had a huge advantage over other flat park runs....it was a good 80m short.

I suspect when those stats are refreshed and Worcester's bang on measurement factors in it won't be fastest for 2 reasons-

1. if you are sub 19 you will almost certainly be in top 5 and spend most of it running alone.2. it's on the banks of river Severn and so if there's a moderate breeze locally down there it's a stiff headwind.

Needed to jig my week around a bit as I can’t get out for a run this weekend, so it was 4 miles yesterday followed by 7.5 tonight to keep the long runs going. Felt strong and like I could have easily gone further but ran out of time.

Looking forward to a few days rest now though!

Good luck to any racers this weekend (DT?) - look forward to the reports.

I've been supposedly resting since Friday evening but in fact feel more tired and lethargic now than ever! Will get out for a decent walk at lunchtime to try and get myself moving again! Can't run tonight, but planning to get back to it tomorrow night.

Re course lengths/speeds, surprisingly Hove Promenade doesn't stand out among the Brighton/Hove events as being faster, probably due to 4 U turns (not tight, but still 180). The 3 tarmac events have course records between 14.25 and 14.47 but set by different people so no direct comparison.

Worthing has the reputation locally of being fast and has been accused of being short but my PB at Preston Park (Brighton) is only 1 sec slower only a few weeks later so I don't think there can be much difference in length.

I agree that there is debate on the accuracy of parkrun courses (which is why Power of 10 shows as parkrun not 5k) but Garmin's aren't accurate enough to use as evidence unless everyone always gets a low or high reading - tree cover, corners, U turns, shortest route all cause inaccuracies. Most have been measured with a wheel but it depends on the quality of the measurer - only a few have been done by a qualified course measurer. Overall we have to accept that we have a PB for each different event and they aren't necessarily comparable.

I think I must have just been unlucky (or my watch really doesn't measure accurately) as I don't think I've ever run a 5k which has measured less than 3.15 miles or a 10k that has measured less than 6.27 miles!

4 easy miles last night to kick off a bit of an enforced cutback week. Probably no bad thing. My last 8 weeks have been 20, 23, 22, 19, 21, 21, 21 and 19 and have included a 10k race, 5k race and 3k time trial. Not high mileage by general standards I know, but quite high for me (historically I've never really averaged much about 16/17 per week) so, I'm probably due a quieter week.

Mind you, I do have another time trial planned for tonight, this time only over 2k (random distance I know!). Ran 7.45 for this distance last December, so hoping to beat that this time around.

Starting to feel a few niggly bits (inside left knee, right ankle) now, nothing too major I hope, but enough to make me glad that by a quirk of the pre-Christmas period and family commitments meaning that I cannot run for 4 of the next 5 days I am getting a bit of an enforced mini-break to allow the niggles to settle down. The only run scheduled is tomorrow night and even then I only have time for 6 miles after work before other commitments need me to be home and showered and out of the door again!

Good mlr DT. Any fatigue from your race on Sunday?

JGav - hope that your return has continued successfully?

Any news from others? Any other races planned before the end of the year for anyone?

Nice 2k Andrew - that's some pretty decent top end. It's silly season for drinking and work parties, need to keep it all under control. Did an easy 6k yesterday up and around Tower Bridge, I like that part of London but not the best to run around given the lack of continuous paths and lots of people.

At my last HM in November, during the race my right ankle started hurting and afterwards was quite painful. Even a month later I can still feel that foot/ankle isn't quite right. Really hard to describe where the pain/tightness is though.

Had a decent session Friday of 3x2 miles off 90 seconds. Plan was to start at hmp then move to 10kp. Came in 6.24 and 6.23 followed by 6.11 and 6.19 and ended with a 6.14 and 6.14 so a decent session all in.

Easy 15 yesterday to round the week off.

Another decent week this week planed then xmas week ill just be whatever it is.

I haven't DT19, just hoping that my current reduced mileage will help it heal.

I know I should train to HR over winter, it's just so much harder out there running in the cold and with strong winds. Did a lunch 5 and it felt like a stupidly strong head wind on both the out and the back!

That’s why I only do these time trials about once a year! It is hard work, but I doubt I’ll ever do a 1 mile race (well, not any time soon) so I need to do it this way. It does mix things up a bit too during a base training period.

Enjoy the session(s). Rest day required after the second I’d imagine 😂

11 miles friday lunchtime with 8 at tempo. Quite windy and started slow. Ended up 6.33mm for the 8.

Friday nights session got a bit silly. 4.30 finish so i was wrecked yesterday. Today i was still feeling it but got up and did my 16. First mile at 8.43 suggested it would be a right effort but settled in and came out 8.06 average in end.

Hope all had good Christmasses! No running for me since the 23rd until today - got out for 4 miles in a pair of new running shoes (Asics GT1000s again).

Got a voucher for a sports massage as one of my presents, so a quick question - when in the training block is it best to have this? Early on whilst feeling fresh, near the end to loosen stuff up, or just whenever (ie it doesn’t matter!)?

If you are not used to the massage AD, I personally would have one around half to two-thirds of the way through your training block. I could hardly walk after my first one! I think 3-5 days before is probably too close unless you are used to them.

Progress is rarely a straight line. There are always bumps in the road, but you can make the choice to keep looking ahead.